Thursday, July 23, 2015

Marine Corps Educator Workshop

By Betty Zambrano, Assistant Director, Career Events

This week I had the absolute honor
to spend a week in Marine Corps Headquarters for the Educator and Key Leader
Workshop. Located in beautiful Quantico, VA, about 45 minutes south of DC,
Marine Corps Headquarters is the training ground for the future leaders of
America's elite fighting forces.

As part of an effort to educate
others on the challenges and rewards of joining a military, the U.S. Marine
Corps invited groups of educators from around the country to participate in
lectures, listen to panels and even perform training exercises!

The U.S. Marine Corps recruit
students who embody the virtues and values of great soldiers and great
citizens. Those interested in joining the ranks as an officer have several
options to serve, either through the Platoon Leaders Course (undergraduate
students) or the Officer Candidates Course (college graduates). Each option
gives candidates the opportunity to prove their mental agility, physical
fitness and above all, their ability to lead in times of uncertainty.

This is done through a combination
of physical training, mental preparation and studying the logistics and
techniques that govern a specialized arm of the military. As a guest of the
USMC workshop, I had the opportunity to simulate some of the physical activities
like the Leadership Reaction Course and a brief session at the Martial Arts
Center for Excellence. We were also treated to a once-in-a-lifetime helicopter
ride with HMX-1 pilots (those who pilot the POTUS helicopter) and a simulated
infantry patrolling mission. As a civilian, I felt honored and inspired by the
sense of purpose displayed by each and every one of our Marine escorts.

To learn more about the benefits of
a career in the U.S. Marine Corps, please reach out to our University of Miami
Officer Recruitment Officer, Capt. Cipriano Rivera. He is reachable at Cipriano.rivera@marines.usmc.mil or
at Fall Career Expo on Friday, September 18th!